In the title story, “MacCloud’s Secret,†Angus Duncun MacCloud feels that he’s taken advantage of a bereaved widow, and asks for her hand in marriage. But when she turns up dead, suspicion falls on MacCloud, and he must explain how someone broke into his home without anyone hearing or seeing anything. MacCloud guards his secret, as the authorities seek to uncover the truth.
Other stories in this collection deal with the periphery of war. In “The Commander’s Car,†a prewar ensign is given a degrading order by the executive officer. But when he gets his revenge, the entire base celebrates.
“Leilani†was a lovely Hawaiian girl who couldn’t decide what soldier was worth loving, so she loved them all. Mark Cummings can’t accept that and forty years later he returns to Hawaii hoping he’ll find the woman who betrayed him—the woman he still loves.
“A Fish Story†tells the tale of a Cold War fish that produces a special serum, which causes a worldwide sensation and becomes the biggest story since the launch of Sputnik. Can this creature save the world?
Six other stories round out this collection of tales sure to ignite your imagination!